2.3. Forest Policy

The main documents determining a policy of forestry development are President’s Decree No300 “Concept of Kyrgyzstan Forestry Development Till 2025”, State Program “Les” for 2001-2005, where main purposes, tasks and directions for Kyrgyzstan forestry development are reflected.

In accordance with the Concept for Development of Forestry of Kyrgyzstan at present time, a task to preserve and restore forests acquires priority importance. Arrangements on preservation, restoration and extension of forestlands are included in the Forest Code of Kyrgyz Republic and other standard legal documents (including Programme “Les”). Many of them still have to be improved to fit the modern situation.

For the Government of Kyrgyz Republic a preservation and restoration of forest resources of the country is strategically important, which builds a basis of future image of the state, its economic and ethic potential. Rehabilitation of mountain forests – this is a moral obligation and primary task of every citizen of the Republic.

According the 1993 record, kolkhozes and sovkhozes were possessing on a long-term basis forest lands of 1,5 million ha (7,5% of the country’s territory) from the State Forest Fund, including 248 thousand ha (1,23%), that have been practically fully degraded. The question arised on their immediate restoration as well as restoration of degraded forest pastures. In 1997 by the Kyrgyz Republic Government Resolution from 15 April, No 226 “On Restitution of State Forest Fund Lands, Earlier transferred to Long-Term Usage to Agricultural Enterprises, and Restitution of Kolkhoz and Goskhoz Lands to the State Agency on Forestry Under the Government of Kyrgyz Republic”. At present time at these territories, there is intensive forest planting.

The attraction of private investment into the forest-economy sector in a market economy is a strong necessity. To enforce this strategic line, the state will support following initiatives of small and medium businesses:

- General development of private nurseries to increase quantity of planting stock as well as its assortment with the support from the state;

- Private eco-tourism at the territory of the State Forest Fund, and usage of forests for recreation purposes on market basis;

- Processing of timber and non-timber forest products.

Distribution of positive results from forests lease is a main arrangement of this strategic line implementation. A standard document was developed (statement on lease), regulating issues on forests lease with consideration of necessary conditions. Areas of the State Forest Fund are determined liable for lease.

In accordance with the Order of the President of Kyrgyz Republic from 13 April 2000, No 83 “On Certain Measures for Further Development of Real Estate Market in Kyrgyz Republic”, it is necessary to introduce due changes into the legislative base of the Republic in order to establish a unified system of organs for state registration of rights for real estate in Kyrgyz Republic. Therefore, there were established prerequisites for development of a real estate market and protection of owners' rights and users of real estate. However, imperfection of mechanisms for implementation of legal acts, incompliance of methods of state regulation with market conditions, built in the sphere of real estate, bulky bureaucratic system for recording transactions, high sizes of state duties hindered further development of real estate market, and did not provide due protection of rights of owners in this sphere.

Aiming at creation of conditions for targeted and dynamic formation of the real estate market, liberalisation and optimisation of the state regulation process and owners right protection enforcement, one of the most important directions of the state policy is a conceivable development of the real estate market, based on free realisation of rights of physical and legal entities on a real estate, and their guaranteed protection, maximal liberalisation of prohibitive mechanism of state regulation over market relations in the sphere of real estate market.